Go support: read the two-newer-releases rule

The Go release policy fits in a sentence: each major release is supported until there are two newer major releases. Critical problems, including critical security problems, get fixed in supported releases through minor revisions.

Release	Released	Newer majors	Supported
1.27	2026-08-19	0	Yes
1.26	2026-02-10	1	Yes
1.25	2025-08-12	2	No

Example

Illustrative. So far the dates above run about 6 months apart. A service on 1.26 stays supported only until the second release after it, 1.28. If you upgrade twice a year, you're always inside the window. Once a year, and you can fall out of it.

Important

The rule counts releases and not months, so there's no fixed date to put in your calendar. Watch the release history page, and check the Go version used by your CI image as well as your laptop.

Check your services

• ☐ Run go version in the CI image
• ☐ Read the go line in go.mod
• ☐ Count newer majors for each service
• ☐ Set an upgrade slot after each release

Timeline and roadmap — add your upgrade slots →

Source: go.dev, Release History, Release Policy.